


Our Past will not be my Future

by SaraAnikaK97



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2020-09-05 20:57:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20279722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraAnikaK97/pseuds/SaraAnikaK97
Summary: Ava is the best restauranteur in the hot & happening restaurant in Star City, The Time Bureau. But when the restaurant is acquired by the new owner, Sara Lance, an old story becomes new again.Will their past mistakes cloud their future or will it fuel their future romance?





	1. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction to the story

"Oh Shit! Miss Sharpe's car just drove in. Mick, please stop drinking. Charlie, hide that bottle." Zari rushed around the kitchen clearing the mess the team had created since their arrival just an hour earlier.

The door slammed open. "What the hell is going on here?" Ava's voice boomed. 

"Nothing....nothing at all. Ava, we were just setting up for today's service." Ray stammered out. Ava nodded and walked to her office. The team let out their breath when she suddenly opened the door again.

"Nate, could you please bring the things on this list to my office. I want to try a recipe I saw." Nate rushed to take the sheet. He walked over to the rest of the gang.

"Ava was said to be the most experimental one of her cohort at culinary school but over here, she just makes small tweaks to the recipes we already know." He grumbled.

Zari passed him the grapefruit. "Whatever it is, people flock from all corners of the city to taste her dishes." 

Nate nodded as he picked the basket filled with everything and rushed to her room when Rip walked into the room.

"Hi Team! As you know Gideon and I will be leaving Star City soon. I have sold the restaurant to my niece from National City. She will be coming in later tonight to see the space. Please be on your best behaviour. Nate, I will take that to Ava."

Rip took the basket and went into the office. The team scooted close to the door to hear what was happening. 

\------

"Ava, you need to really calm down. Yesterday, Abigail gave me her resignation. She is not ready to work with you anymore. You threw her dish into the dustbin without even telling her what was wrong."

Ava sighed in annoyance. "Rip, you hired me to make your kitchen the best in the city, she was incapable of handling it. I had warned her."

Rip shook his head. "Ava, you need to keep your temper below the threshold. You know that I have sold the restaurant to my niece. She will not tolerate it."

Ava stormed to the door and slammed it open. "Am I always angry?" She asked the team, who immediately took ten steps back.

"Ava, listen to me. Yesterday, you asked a guest to get lost and told them it was their fault for not having the taste buds to enjoy the food you made." Rip sighed. 

Ava growled and walked back into the room. "I have placed my last 8 years into this restaurant to make it what it is today. I will not let stupid new graduate chef or tasteless guest insult and destroy the quality we have here."

Ava stormed out of the room. "Get back to work." She screamed at the team. " We haven't got all day. 

She pulled open the main door out of the kitchen into the restaurant in a fit and slammed into a body. She stepped back and her eyes widened.

"Ava!" The women breathed. 

"Sara...." Ava whispered before taking off to the back of the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know how you liked the story and whether I should continue. This is my first time writing a story like this. Please provide feedback.


	2. Character Sketch

  * A brief into to characters in this story

**The Sharpes and their Close Associates **

  * Ava Sharpe: A prominent Sous-chef at a famous restaurant in Star City
  * Ariel Sharpe: Ava's half-sister and advisor. She used to teach at Cordon Bleu but after an accident destroyed her life. She works in a small pre-school as a teacher at the countryside.
  * Nate Heywood: Ava and Ariel's cousin. A spunky and fun guy. A real sweetheart. An amazing husband. He doesn't know about Ava's Cordon Bleu life and romance with Sara. He is very supportive and protective of his two sisters and two nieces
  * Amaya Jiwe-Heywood - The yin to Nate's Yang. She supports her husband but always gives a very mature perspective. She knows about Sara's existence but nothing more than that.
  * Jenna Sharpe - A cold woman. Has no love for Ava. No longer a part of their lives since Ariel and Ava moved away from her.
  * Mark Sharpe - The Sharpe sisters' father. He passed away just two months after Ava was brought into the Sharpe Household. 
  * Aria Sharpe - She is the elder one of the twins. She is very bossy but a real sweetheart when it comes to people she loves. She always speaks her mind and loves to cook.3
  * Savannah Sharpe - She is the younger one. She is very shy and lives in Aria's shadow. To make her more independent, Ava always makes the twins go for separate activities. She wants to become a doctor when she grows up. 
  * Ray Palmer - Ava's support system and close friend from school. He knows everything about Ava and Sara. He takes care of Savannah and Aria whenever Ava cannot.
  * Alex Danvers- Ava's childhood friend when she lived with her mother. She is a doctor. She has a huge crush on Ava but too shy to tell her. Has no idea about Ava and Sara's history.

**The Lances and their Close Associates**

  * Sara Lance: Partner of Al-Ghul-Lance Cooperation
  * Laural Lance: Sara's big sister. A very important part of the reason that the two lovers are not together
  * Vanessa Lance: She is the Lance Sisters' aunt. Moved into their family residences after the girls'parents away when they were kids. She is one of the main reasons why Ava and Sara are separated.
  * Nyssa Al-Ghul: Sara's girlfriend and partner
  * Nora Darkh - Sara's best friend. Knows almost everything about Sharpe-Lance relationship


	3. Sara Lance is the New Owner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into their first meeting.

Ava clenched her fists and sank to the floor of the storeroom. "NO! She can't be here." She whispered to herself as tears rolled down her face. "No please."

_Ava was rushing into her sister's class at Le Cordon Bleu when she felt someone dash into her. Both their files fell forward and scattered onto the floor. Papers in all directions. _

_"Oof. Shit! I only have 5 minutes." She grumbled as she quickly grabbed the papers. The girl quickly got up and helped her gather all the papers before rushing off. Ava too rushed in the same direction and rushed into the room._

_Her sister glared at her from the front._

_"My name is Ariel Sharpe and I will be your professor for this course. One of you will be selected at the end of the course to join the esteemed chefs at La Reverie for a trainee program. You have all been divided into groups of two. After every class from next week. One team will be eliminated from the running. You will continue the course but that will be only for course credit. Please open the envelopes in front of you and find the person with the same number as you."_

_Ava quickly opened hers. She had received number 3. She glanced around the room where everyone was looking around for their partner. Suddenly, she saw a blue paper with a '3' sink into the crowd. She rushed towards it to see the girl that had crashed into her. Ava took in her attire. She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans, an oversized shirt and a cap with its tongue facing back. She grimaced. This was what she had to work with._

_The girl turned around and spotted the pink sheet with the '3' in her hand. She smiled. _

_"Hi! I am Sara. Looks like I am your partner."_

_Ava groaned in her mind and rushed to her sister. _

_"Ari......I mean Professor Sharpe. I would like to get a change in partner."_

_Her sister looked up at her with a disinterested expression._

_"Miss....?"_

_She filled her in. "Miss. Smith." _

_Ava had refused to carry her family name into the college and except for the official records. Everywhere she was registered with her mother's maiden name._

_Her sister glanced at Sara, who was staring at Ava slightly annoyed. "Well, Miss. Smith, all the partners are permanent. So I suggest you get to know your new partner." Her sister turned back to her papers with a small mocking grin._

_Ava grumbled and walked back to her place next to Sara. Sara sat silently and was looking at her phone. Ava glanced at her multiple times till she gave up and watched the other students engaging with their partners. As soon as the bell rang, Sara got up and left. Ava tried to follow her to apologise when her phone rang. It was her mother._

_"Hello Mother." She answered._

_"Arianna Ava Sharpe, I hope you have settled in. Your sister informed me that there is a competition for the prestigious internship this time."_

_Ava grimaced. "Yes Mother."_

_"You know that everyone in the Sharpe family has been a part of the internship right?" _

_Ava nodded. _

_"Ava?" Her mother called in an annoyed voice. _

_Ava answered in a soft whisper. "Yes Mother."_

_"You may not be my blood but I expect you to be as good as Ariel. Don't embarrass the Sharpe family."_

_Ava flinched. She knew that she would always be the illegitimate child of the family. Her father's big mistake. But to be reminded of it time and again affected her greatly. Her mother rubbed it in her face and so did the rest of the family. The only one that treated her remotely like family was Ariel and Amaya, her cousin, Nate's wife. "Yes, mother. I will do everything I can to be the winner."_

_It was only when she heard the dial tone that she knew her mother, Jenna Sharpe had already kept the phone. She wiped the tears that had unknowingly rolled down her face. She then rushed in the direction of her dorm before she broke down in the halls. _

_She dashed in through the door and into her room._

_"Yes, Laur. The stupid and bitchy Sharpe is here. Don't worry I will show her who is boss."_

_Ava paused seeing someone else in her room. Did someone know that she was a Sharpe?_

_The other student had stilled staring at the wall. _

_"Great! Just great!"She muttered to herself. She was sharing a room this semester. Last semester, her roommate had left midway through the course due to some family emergency._

_"Oh Sorry. I didn't know I was sharing my room." She apologised out loud._

_"Oh great! I am sharing with you!" The girl turned around yelling. _

_"Sara!" Ava gasped. _

_Sara rolled her eyes. "Obviously. Were you so blind that you did not see the Room tag that read Sara Lance?"_

_Ava grimaced. She needed space. She glanced around the room. The floor was a mess. There were even some clothes on her bed. _

_"You are so messy!" She muttered. Sara laughed. "Well, that is who I am! You will have to deal with me, Miss Stiff Smith."_

_Ava growled lightly. Sara smirked. "I will clean up. Don't worry, Love. Just in the process."_

_Ava hated the way her heart jumped seeing the smirk and hearing the word 'Love' fall out of her mouth. _

**Present**

"Ava....." Amaya knocked lightly on the storeroom door and walked in. She sat next to Ava and pulled her close.

"It's the Cordon Bleu one, isn't it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the really short chapter. The last two weeks have been a lot of settling in and everything.
> 
> Also I have no idea what course they have for culinary school. So will be making up classes.
> 
> Struggling to get to the main part. Just toying around for now. Next chapter will hopefully move faster and will come in two weeks


	4. Forever......how about Never

Amaya pulled Ava close. "You better wipe your tears. Aria is asking for you and Nate is bringing her here."

Ava's eyes widened. "Did she see her?" Amaya shook her head. "Who the lady that ran out as soon as she saw you like she had seen a ghost?"

Ava sighed in relief. "She should never see her. I am quitting Amaya. I am leaving now."

Ava leapt up and started pulling off her apron.

"Ava, listen to me. What is wrong?"

Amaya followed her out of the room and into Rip's office. "Rip, I am quitting." Ava slammed her hand onto the table. Rip paled and stood up. "Ava, you can't. I signed a clause with Lance Restaraunteers that you would work with the company for up to 6 months. My family needs the money from the restaurant to settle and Sara insisted that the head chef should stay. It was the only way she agreed to acquire the business."

Ava stormed out and stopped in front of Aria and Nate.

"Mama!"

Aria gave her a wide smile and jumped into her arms. Ava felt a small smile appear on her face. She could not help it. It was her little fairy after all, in a world where fairytales were just lies to make a young girl's heart flutter. Then her smile fell away.

"Baby! You have to go. Uncle Nate and Aunt Amaya will take you to our house. Mama will come after the shift is over."

Aria pouted. "But mama you promised that I could help today. I even left Savy at home." Ava got up and gently pushed Aria and Amaya towards Nate.

"Baby, today mama has to serve an important guest and the restaurant will be very busy. Nate, please take them home. We will manage here. You take the night off. Go now!"

Nate looked at his cousin a bit puzzled. Why did Ava look so tensed after seeing their new boss? He shook his head and lifted up his niece who looked terribly disappointed at not being able to help. He ruffled her hair and gently patted her back.

Amaya grimaced seeing their bubble of joy looking so sad. "It is okay little mouse. Shall I get you some ice cream from the store down the street? We can buy some for Savy as well." Aria's eyes lit up.

Ava watched as she saw Nate, Amaya and her child leave through the back door. Amaya glanced back and she knew that her sister-in-law was going to grill her when she got home.

She rushed to the kitchen to continue setting up for the night. A good chef does not let her emotions destroy the food she serves her guest.

\--------------

Sara sat in the corner of an old-school ice cream parlour and nibbled on her favourite ice cream, Vanilla with red sauce.

"I want a mint chocolate chip sundae with extra cherries, please. Savy will want Vanilla ice cream with red sauce." She heard a small voice squeal from behind and a little girl rushed into the empty space in her booth. She sat in front of Sara for a few minutes before lifting her head and looking at her with the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my usual spot" The girl asked.

Sara smiled. "Well, I was sitting here first."

"Ari, come quick. Your mom just called. She wants you in the house. Savy is missing you."

Aria pouted but got up and ran off. Sara was about to look to see who had called her when her phone began to buzz. The caller id showed her partner and girlfriend's name.

"Yes Nys, I am coming. Just down the road."

She rushed back into the restaurant where she saw her girlfriend seated in front of many different types of dishes.

"Babe, these are all so good. The head chef is amazing. I am so glad that we signed the contract keeping her here."

Sara glanced at the team standing near the table but could not find Ava. She saw the door to the kitchen swing slightly like as though someone had gone through it. Sara smiled.

"I will go have a chat with the head chef then about a pay raise." Nyssa nodded and continued eating. Sara walked into the kitchen and then into the storage unit with its slightly ajar room. 

"How did you find me?" Ava turned around and glared at Sara. Sara kept calm and her face was stoic.

"Were you stalking me? Why the hell are you acquiring our restaurant?" Ava hissed and stormed forward. 

Sara but back her anger and hissed. "It was just a coincidence. I did not know you worked here."

"What a lie. What can I expect from a Lance? You may wear clothes that scream high class but you will always be a lower-class cheat."

Sara felt her blood boil. "Ava, I did not know." She bit back.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Yeah right. In this world of social media, you did not. I know everything about you. Your affairs....your new girlfriends or should I say, mistresses." She sneered. "I do not care why you are here but stay away from my babies."

Sara stilled. "I purchased the restaurant because it belongs to my family for years. I don't care about that family of yours. I don't care about you nor do I care about them." She hissed, knowing fully well that it would hurt Ava.

"Wow Sara. What more can one expect from you? My family is just fine without you and your family. Just stay away from us. I don't want my future to be destroyed by our past and I will do everything to ensure that." She stormed out of the room and left the restaurant after picking up her things.

\------------

As she stepped into the house, she saw a small light in her babies' room. She slowly stepped in the direction.

"They are awake. Your stupid brother fed them ice cream sundae and then he went home but left me here with two hyperactive bunnies." A voice called from behind her. Ava turned around to see Amaya sitting on the couch. She grinned and rushed into their room. Her two girls gave her wide grins.

"Mama! You came early." Savannah screamed. Ava blinked back her tears seeing the expression that had once been on her mother's face whenever Ava came home after work. Savannah was a copy of a younger Sara while Aria was a clear mixture of the two of them.

Savannah and Aria were very special babies and part of a very secret project that Laurel had been working on before the accident that changed their lives forever.


	5. Ava roasts Sara

Sara walked into her apartment. Nyssa had decided to go to her sister's house. Her house felt empty.

"Sara, why are you so late'? I waited and waited." A voice came from the kitchen. A smile bloomed on Sara's face. She ran into the room and hugged the person. Nora gently pushed her away.

"Nor, when did you reach? Charlie said you were only arriving next week." Nora grinned. "How could I stay away when I hear that my best friend is now going to be working with her ex-love?"

Sara groaned. Nora laughed. "The perils of being a celeb and posts coming out every second of the day."

Nora guided Sara to their living room. "So how is Miss Stiff Bitch?"

"Urgh!"

Nora giggled and gently jostled her. 

Sara's phone started ringing. Nora glanced at the screen. "Oh! It is Nys. You know Sara, she is trying to become your only bestie. Tell her, I am watching her closely."

Sara laughed and smacked Nora's head as she reached over and picked up the phone. "Don't make fun of her. You are Nora, the player then. Sleeping with so many men that my fingers are too few to count."

\-------------

Nyssa watched as the two ladies worked in the kitchen.

"They aren't even talking to each other. They have been working together for over a week." She mumbled. 

She grinned as she read the invite that had just reached her inbox.

"God definitely has some funny ways."

\--------------

"Hey everyone. Today the entire team is going to celebrate the acquisition of this amazing restaurant by Lance-Al-Ghul CO-operations by going to the Star City Nightlife. There is a new chief bartender there. We will be hiring him if he is as amazing as the reviews state."

Ava groaned in her mind. "I can't come. I have ki....a knife kit coming in. I have to collect it." Sara looked like she was going to say something.

Nyssa glared at Ava. "Ms Sharpe, this is not an optional outing. We will be going there to scout a new recruit and the entire team will come."

Amaya and Ray shot her an apologetic smile.

Ava shot a quick message to Alex to pick Savanah and Aria from pre-school.

\--------------

In the evening as she was getting ready for the event, she heard her front door open and the giggles of her girls. 

"Al, thanks for bringing them home." Alex walked into the room with a wide grin. "Wow.....Aves, you lookin' smokin."

Ava blushed. "Al, I have prepared dinner for you all. It is in the oven. Have it at 7. Make sure the two bunnies are in bed by 8. I should be home by 9."

Alex laughed. "Aves, you know sometimes, I wonder who was the girl that got you to become such a stickler for rules. What happened to the college badass that went to France?"

Ava smiled but her eyes held an unspoken pain. "Ha Ha! I am still a badass.....but a badass mom now. 6 years and two babies can change a person completely."

She grabbed her bag and walked out into the hall.

\--------------

Sara watched as Ava sat opposite her with her team. Nyssa smiled at Sara. 

"Sar, if you stare too much then she will think you have a crush on her." Nyssa giggled. 

Sara immediately looked away. Suddenly, Nyssa stood up. "Guys, usually Sara suggests this game but this time she seems to be lost in another world. So how now you all know that Oliver is Sara's best friend of all time and he will be making our drinks today." 

Ava sucked a deep breath. She had known that the man who had destroyed her life lived in the same town but what she hadn't known was that he was so close to her.

"Hello Everyone. I am Felicity." Sara jumped up and hugged her.

"How is Ollie?" Felicity grimaced. "Ollie can't make it. So Thea will be making your drinks today. Sorry Nys." Ava could feel Felicity throwing her sideways glances. 

Ava got up and walked to the bathroom. As she was walking by she saw a small nursery. She walked in to see a little girl in the playpen in the corner. The little girl stretched her hands out to be carried.

"You can pick her up you know. That's Mia." A voice said from behind her. Ava turned around and gave a small smile. "Ms. Smoak, I didn't mean to intrude."

Felicity's expression darkened. "Ava, you are family. You are always welcome."

Ava looked grim.

Felicity walked to her side and gave her a side hug. "Forgiving Oliver was a long process. But he was only dating me then. Forgiving Sara will be harder because you were married for 2 years. But Ava, you should try. The girls deserve to know Sara. Don't keep them away."

Ava stiffened and slowly moved away. "Felicity, she can never be part of their life. Her family destroyed mine. She cheated on me but I paid the price. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even want to know the kids. She sent me such a cruel message then and she repeated it today."

Felicity held Ava close. "Aves, you and I grew up like sisters. We will always be family. Please don't pull away like you did all those years ago."

Ava nodded but quickly left the room. She walked back to her team where they were all in fits of laughter.

"Aves, listen to this, Sara was asking everyone what they felt when they had the first sip of Ollie's magical potion. Here, have some." Zari pushed into her hands, a cup of purplish liquid. 

Ava brought it to her mouth and was about to take a sip when Sara said. "The drink tastes like cold pizza dipped in soda."

Nyssa laughed. "You mean like our first kiss." Ava's heart stopped for a second. 

"How did it taste Ava? Did it remind you of your first kiss?" Zari nudged seeing her boss stare at her drink with an emotionless expression. "Sara says that the drink reminds you of your very first kiss."

Ava agreed. It did taste like her very first kiss with Lena, her classmates from High School. She tasted like cherries and cotton candy and so did the drink taste like it. But what shocked her was Sara's words. Was she Sara's first kiss?

"Ava, what did it taste like?" Thea grinned cheekily. 

Ava put her drink down. "Like nothing."

One of the others in the team laughed and whispered. "What else she has always got a stick up her ass probably didn't even have her first kiss?"

As soon as the words reached Ava's ears, her grip on the cup tightened and she quickly put it down and hurried to the bar. Amaya got up and followed her. She had already finished two shots and was chugging down a glass of strong whisky. Tears were rolling down her cheeks but she quickly brushed them away.

"Does anyone want to entertain our guests tonight?" The stagehand asked from the stage. Amaya's eyes widened when she saw Ava's hand up in the air. She got up and stumbled towards the stage.

\--------------

Sara watched as Ava rushed away from the table. She wanted to follow her but knew it would be a bad move. She watched as Amaya followed her but knew it would be of no use as Ava downed one shot. Only Sara could stop her and that was many years ago. Before she broke Ava's heart and in turn, Ava ripped her own. She watched as Ava stumbled towards the stage. Sara gently closed her eyes knowing that what came next would not be fun.

"Did you know who is the person, who will rip you into pieces even if you are doing your best?" Ava crooned through the mike.

"A bitch of a girlfriend!" A man in the front yelled.

Ava shook her head. "I don't think you should be saying that in front of your lady friend, who I am guessing is your girlfriend." The next second the guy was drenched in wine and his lady was stomping out of the place. "But you are wrong! It is your BOSS!" Ava yelled.

Nyssa shook her head and unclenched Sara's clenched hands. "Sara, she is drunk."

"You know my boss smiles but those smiles are like that of an assassin watching her prey. She takes every opportunity to make my life a living hell. I mean why won't she, she is a devil in disguise."

The people in the club laughed. Sara felt herself go dark. Her eyes were being blinded with anger. 

"She thinks that playing with my emotions is a game."

The audience laughed and some of them screamed for her name.

Ava laughed and smirked at Sara. Sara's eyes widened. No, she was not going to.

"Well, she is right here. Sitting at the back table. Her name is Ms Sara Lance. She may have become a Michelin star chef but she behaves just the way she once did. A pla......"

Amaya quickly rushed onto the stage and pulled Ava off. She sent an apologetic smile to Sara and left with a drunk Ava as the paparazzi surrounded their table.

\-------------------

"Ouch! My head!" Ava whined as she got up. She felt something fall next to her. She half-opened her eyes to see the news.

"Well, I certainly hope your boss isn't going to kill you. You are late and you butchered her image yesterday." Alex laughed as she passed Ava some lime water and a panadol.

Ava quickly sat up and stared at the headlines. 

"Is Sara Lance a hothead?" 

Below was a shot of Ava holding a mike and Sara looking like she was going to kill someone. Ava then glanced at her clock.

"Oh Shit! I am late. Oh no Savy has martial arts in 15 minutes." Ava stumbled out of her bed almost falling over trapped in her sheets. 

Alex laughed finally watching Ava look so harassed. "Calm down Ava. I have already sent Saavy for her class. You have half the day off. Your boss approved it when Amaya requested.

\-----------------

Sara watched as the kids filed into the room. She gave them a small smile despite the emotions bubbling inside her.

"Where is Abby?" A small voice asked. Sara turned around to see a little girl look up at her with eyes filled with fear. She was twisting a small piece of ribbon in her hands. 

Sara sat down so that she would be the same height as the child.

"Hello! I am Sara, your new teacher. Ms Abby is teaching another class now." 

The child bit her lip. "Mommy says don't talk to strangers." Sara nodded. "She is right but I am your teacher and we will soon get to know each other. What is your name?"

The child gave her a small smile that reminded her so much of someone but she could not place the face. "I am Savannah." 

Hearing the name, Sara felt her gut squeeze but she just smiled and got up.

"Well Saaves! Are you ready for class?" 

Savannah gave her a small smile and rushed to her spot. Sara turned to see that she had a goofy grin on her face. The child had chased away all her pain. 


	6. Ava learns about Nyssa's pregnancy

Ava walked into the penthouse. The rooms were exactly like how Sara and she had envisioned their dream apartment when they had been renting their one-room apartment just after marriage. She walked towards the window and saw the entire skyline and sighed. She turned when she heard a door open.

"Oh Ms Sharpe! The housekeeper just told me that she buzzed you up." Sara spoke rather stiffly. Her face held no emotion. 

Ava quickly sat down on the sofa and her face slowly turned a shade of pink. "I am sorry for what I said yesterday. I crossed a line I shouldn't have."

Sara nodded. "I understand. It is okay, Ms. Sharpe. Take the day off. We can meet in the office tomorrow." 

Ava felt her heart slowly stop as the one person who she had loved with all her heart was talking to her so stoically.

"Sara, do you know where Ella kept my vitamins?"

Ava's hand stilled as she watched Nyssa walk out of the same bedroom that Sara had come out of with a bedhead.

Ava quickly picked her bag off the table top. "Oh I should leave." 

The bag was stuck to the table and she gave it a hard yank, only to see a glass scripture swoop to the floor.

Ava turned pale. "I am so sorry. Let me clean it up." She walked to the side and picked a broom and dustpan to clean the mess.

Nyssa rushed forward when Sara suddenly stopped her.

"Nys, be careful you are pregnant. We can't have anything happen to the baby."

Ava's hands stopped midair. She quickly picked up the rest of the shards and threw them into the bin.

"I should go." She whispered and picked up her bag. "See you at work tomorrow." She mumbled and ran into the lift of the penthouse.

As the lift went down, it stopped at the 35th floor and a pregnant woman and her husband got into the lift. She was leaning on him and he seemed to be whispering sweet nothings to her.

Ava clenched her fists to prevent the tears from falling. She remembered the many times, she was so exhausted and she had nobody with her. How she struggled with her daily nausea and the fact that her big sisters were in the hospital.

She hailed a taxi and stared out of the window watching the buildings fleet by. The moment the taxi pulled up to her flat, she ran up the stairs and slammed the door shut. She knew her daughters had gone for ice creams with Alex.

She fell onto the bed and curled up into a ball and cried her heart out.

\-----------

"Mommy?" A small voice called from the door. She sat up immediately trying to brush off her tears. Savannah was staring at her.

"Baby? What are you doing at home? Didn't Aunt Alex take you for ice cream?"

Savannah nodded and walked into the room. "Yeah but Ari and Aunty Alex wanted to go for that scary movie and I did not. So Aunty Kara came home with me." 

Ava quickly got to the edge of the bed. "Kara is here."

Savannah shook her head and walked towards her. "We saw your bag and so I told Aunty Kara that she could go." 

Ava gave her a small smile and pulled her into her arms. "So Baby girl, tell Mama how did class go today?" 

Savannah smiled. "Mama, my new teacher is so awesome. She calls me Saavs and gave me three jellybeans before we left. She said I was an amazing and intelligent girl. She.....she said that I was the strongest girl she had ever taught." 

Ava smiled and gently got up carrying Savannah in one hand. "Aaah. See I told you that you are amazing. Did you make any new friends?"

Savannah nodded. "Yeah! Her name is Sara. She is so pretty and strong Mama. She can lift me in one hand like you."

Ava laughed. "Baby, don't let your friends carry you. They may drop you and get hurt."

Savannah giggled. "Mama, she won't get hurt. She is strong."

Ava placed her daughter on the countertop and went to the fridge. "Baby, what do you want for lunch? A grilled sandwich."

Savannah nodded. "Yeah Mama. Add extra cheese, no vegies." Ava rolled her eyes. "What about your greens baby?"

Savannah opened her eyes wide and blinked with her sparkling blue eyes. "PLEEEEAAASE MAMA!"

Ava's throat choked seeing her looking exactly like Sara would when Ava tried to get her to eat her greens. She finally nodded.

\-------

Savannah and Ava were seated at the dining table when she looked up at Ava.

"Mama, did you have a bad day?"

Ava immediately looked up. "No! Baby, why do you ask?"

"I saw you crying. Your eyes were red and you looked sad." Savannah mumbled. 

Ava groaned in her mind. She pulled Savannah into her lap. "Baby, Mama had a bad day. She felt a bit sad. Her boss was upset with her. That is why."

Savannah looked up at Ava with unblinking eyes then hugged her. "Aw Mama, you shouldn't cry like that. Maybe she just wants you to be better. Sara said that sometimes teachers have to scold so that we become better." 

Ava watched as her daughter spouted what her new friend said. She grinned. "Your friend, Sara seems to be teaching you very good things."

Savannah grinned. "She said a special person told her that." Ava paused for a second. 

"Savvy, how old......"

"SAAAVY!!!!!" Aria ran in through the door. Her hands holding onto 2 target bags filled with what looks like toys. Savannah jumped out of her lap and ran to Aria's side. Ava threw a chastising glare at Alex, who stood sheepishly behind.

"Your kid is to persuasive." She mumbled as she sat next to Ava. Ava rolled her eyes. 

"Girls, go play in your room." Alex and Ava watched as the excited girls ran to their room but they did not see something that had gone with them as well.

\--------

Sara was standing on her balcony with Nyssa when her phone beeped. She grumbled about work never leaving her alone. She opened the email from Ava. 

_Hello Mama's Boss,_

_Mama cried because of you today. My sister saw her and told me. You are so mean and nasty. Next time you make Mama cry, You will have to answer to my fist._

_Hate, _

_Ms Sharpe_

Sara blinked as she reread the message. The corner of her eyes teared up. Her little girl had emailed her for the first time with no idea that she was her mother too. Then Sara clenched her fists. Maybe Ava told her kids about how evil she was.

"Sar, what happened? Is it work?" Nyssa called out. Sara was about to reply when her phone beeped with another message. This time an sms from an unknown number.

_Hi Ms Sara,_

_Today my Mama was having a bad day. I told her what you told me and she had a small smile. :)_

_Thank you_

_Hugs and Kisses,_

_Saavs_

She smiled to herself. She felt her heart warmed up. She quickly saved the number and placed the contact image as a picture of her and Saav taken earlier that day.

Nyssa walked into the house from the balcony. "Babe? What happened? Any problem in the office."

Sara put her phone down and shook her head. "Nothing serious. Just a sweetie from the martial arts class."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked the chapter. Will update in 2 weeks time. So sorry for the late update this time.


	7. Glimpses

"Mama, Aunty Alex is taking me to buy a new paint kit for school tomorrow. Ruby needs one as well." Savannah yelled from the door.

Ava nodded. "Doesn't Ari need one?" Savannah shrugged. 

Ava rolled her eyes as she glanced into her children's room. Savannah's side of the room looked a fairy-godmother had cast a spell with every item in its place while Aria's side looked like some ninja had attacked the kid in the middle of the night. 

"Ari!" She yelled. Only to hear her front door opening and two sets of footsteps rushing out of the room. She slowly picked up the different items and started putting them in their place.

"You are just like your mother." She grumbled.

She was instantly transported to Sara and her room, a week after they had settled in. Ava had gone to Amaya's house for the weekend and had almost thought a cyclone had hit the area when she entered her room.

\--------

_"What the hell?" Ava muttered as she stepped into her room. The floor was littered with clothes and there were books strewn all around the room. Sara was lying in the middle of bed, her head smashed onto a paper. Ava crept to her side and glanced at the paper. Her eyes widened seeing the gorgeous design Sara had sketched onto the paper._

_"What are YOU staring at?" Sara was staring up at Ava squinting her eyes. Ava felt her leg losing footing and she fell face-first onto Sara. She quickly jumped up._

_"Nothing! I was just wondering why the hell you destroyed my room with your mess?"_

_Sara rolled her eyes and got up. "Well, Miss prissy while you were spending time with your fancy-ass family, I was working at the bakery down the road. Not everyone has their parents to pick up their tuition."_

_Ava glared at Sara. "What are you working on?" She bit on._

_Sara rolled her eyes and smirked. "So you don't remember tomorrow's task. Well, Ms Prissy Pants, I am done with my part. I do hope you will find a recipe for the task."_

_Ava smirked back. "Well, Ms Lance, I did the work the day we were given."_

_Sara rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't care. I am done. I am going out." Sara jumped off the bed and placed her sketch on her table and walked to the door._

_Ava gasped. "Who is gonna clean the room?"_

_Sara opened the door with a lack of care and turned back to Ava. "Feel free to do it, Love." _

_Ava's eyes widened as she heard Sara's words. She felt a small tingle at the bottom of her stomach. Something she hadn't felt since......She shook her head and pushed away the thought._

_She started clearly Sara's things and placing them as a pile on Sara's side of the room. _

_How would they work together for the next 6 months? She groaned to herself. "Well, at least she works hard on course submissions._

_Her phone buzzed with a message from her sister. "Hey Lil Sis, want to meet up for dinner? There is someone I want you to meet._

_\---------_

"Aunty Alex!" 

Sara was browsing the shelves when a little girl slammed into her and fell to the floor. "Oh Sweetie! You okay?" 

"I am no body's Sweetie. It is Aria. You can call me Aria." The little got off the ground. "Grownups nowadays don't even look where they are going." The little girl grumbled. Sara's eyes widened in amusement and Nyssa laughed standing next to her.

Aria glared at Nyssa. "What are you laughing about? I don't see a valid reason."

Nyssa smiled and kneeled so that she was Aria's height. "Sorry Aria. I was just surprised seeing someone put my friend in her place. Usually, Sara is the one that mouths off."

Aria gave a cheeky grin. "Well, you know Mommy always says that....."

Before Aria could finish her sentence, Ruby came around the corner. 

"Ari, everyone is looking for you. Mom almost called the police. Saavy is in tears." 

Aria rolled her eyes. "She gets scared of everything. I was just looking at the new toys that they have." Aria skipped to Ruby's side and slipped her hand into hers. She turned back to Sara and Nyssa and gave a cheeky grin before walking away.

"A sweet child isn't she?"

Sara rolled her eyes. "More like a cheeky monster. I don't understand how her mother deals with her."

Nyssa laughed. "Probably the same way your mother dealt with you." 

Sara stiffened. Her mother was touchy subject. Losing her mother was probably the most painful moment after losing Ava.

"We better get back to the office." She mumbled as she grabbed a small stuff toy off the racks and walked to the counter. 

\--------

Amaya watched as Sara and Nyssa walked into the restaurant. She had heard from Savannah and Aria about Ava's meltdown and she knew it had something to do with what happened at the house. 

"Nyssa!" A woman who looked like she was on the warpath stood at their entrance. Amaya watched as the usually brave and badass women step behind Sara. 

"Talia!" Sara stated calmly. "Please let us step into the office."

Zari and the rest of the staff moved closer to the door to hear something.

"What are you all doing?" Ava was standing at the door with a slightly annoyed expression.

Before Amaya could answer, the woman stormed out of the room with Sara following her close behind. "Ms Lance, I left my sister with you thinking you would take care of her. Instead, you got her pregnant?"

All the staff chilled and Amaya sent a quick glance to Ava, who was watching the scene unfold with no expression at all.

"Nyssa, let me tell you that Father is not happy and has ordered me to bring you back home and away from this woman." 

Ava stepped forward. "I don't think you should be standing in the middle of the restaurant and insulting the owner. We will begin the service for our guests soon and I would strongly suggest you leave."

Nyssa stepped out from the office and stood behind Sara. "Talia, tell father that I need to stay here to take care of everything and he need not worry about the child."

Sara's eyes widened as she watched Nyssa head out of the restaurant. Talia too stormed out. Everyone was going back to their work as Ava headed towards the locker room. 

\--------

"Ava?" A small voice called her name from the side. Ava looked up to see Sara. She looked like she had shrunk even more than her usually small figure. 

Ava nodded acknowledging her presence. She was in no mood to chat. 

"I need your help." Sara whispered. "I need you to convince Nyssa not to abort the child."

Ava looked up with her eyes wide. "It is her choice. I get that you are her partner but you have got to remember that she is the one who is carrying the child."

Sara rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. But Aves, if anyone can convince her. It is you. You have two kids of your own. You know I am pro-choice. But Nyssa is just terrified. She wanted this child until Talia came in. I don't want it to be a rash decision." 

Ava stilled hearing Sara's nickname for her just slip through her mouth. "You will never know how many factors a mother has to think of when they decide to keep a child. Because I like Nyssa, I will go talk to her but Sara, let me warn you for the last time. Never use my nickname or my children against me ever. You lost those rights the day you chose to sleep in another person's bed."

Sara's eyes grew dark. "It is funny when such comments come from you. You made choices just the same way I did. But I will stay away. I just need you to talk to Nyssa. Her child is everything for me. I have promises to keep."

Ava's eyes went red with rage. "Sara, don't act like something you are not."

Without a second glance, she stormed out of the restaurant, only to see Nyssa sitting on the hood of her car looking rather dazed.

"Hey! You okay?" Ava called out. Nyssa looked up quickly wiping her tears. 

She nodded but then shook her head. "Well, no. I mean, I thought I would be. But Dad wants this child gone so that I will marry some man that will provide him with an heir but this is the only part I have left of my life before...." She trailed off. Ava didn't push.

"Well, then why do you want to abort the child?"

Nyssa grimaced. "You don't understand how hard it is to raise a child especially without a father."

Ava gently shook her head. "Oh I do. I did it alone that too. You have Sara."

Nyssa smiled sadly. "Sara is just helping. She promised Armaan that she would take care of me before we lost him at the border."

Ava's eyes widened slightly. "You are not her girlfriend?" 

Nyssa laughed. "We weren't at first. We started off as business partners and then with time, I fell in love with her. I asked her out and rest was history." 

Ava nodded. "What did you mean by border?"

Nyssa looked down at her hand. "Oh the army! Sara has been part of the army for the past 7 years. She often leaves for missions. This is the first time she has been in the US for more than 4 weeks. Losing Laurel to the Mafia was the biggest blow for Sara. All because of a woman she once loved. When Armaan first brought her home, she was just a shell of a person. Aunt Vanessa was so worried when I first took her to her house. We only got her to open up and deal with her pain after many therapy sessions."

Ava stilled. Sara did not know. Sara did not know the truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the delayed chapter. I have been so busy with work and registration for Masters. I will try update the next chapter by next week. The next chapter will tell us the story from Sara's eyes.


	8. Tough Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part of the Chapter is from Sara's POV, then Nyssa and finally Ava.

Sara watched as Ava and Nyssa were talking outside the restaurant.

She walked back to her table and opened the topmost drawer that was usually locked. It had everything from her past. Her past before everything had gone wrong.

\---------------

_Vanessa had watched silently as Sara read through the details of the investigation into the death of Laural Lance. She was looking at the proof that clearly indicating that the Sharpes were the reason that her sister was no more. Vanessa picked up the package and slowly walked over to her dear niece._

_"Sara, she sent this. The lawyer passed it to me." Vanessa sat next to a grieving Sara and passed her the package. _

_ **It is over. We are not working anymore. I cannot trust you again.** _

_There was a simple note in Ava's beautiful handwriting. She felt her heart clench. She looked at the other paper. It was divorce papers. _

_"How dare she? She destroyed our family and she is blaming you." Vanessa snapped. _

_A tear rolled down Sara's cheek. "She is pregnant." She whispered. Vanessa paused in her rant. _

_"What? Then who is going to keep the child? Her criminal family? Those crooks have stolen everything from us. They want to steal the only blood we have left. Your child?"_

_Sara bit her lips. She glanced at the picture of her, Ava and Laural smiling after they first learnt about the trial. "The lawyer says that because of my infidelity, chances are high I won't get the child."_

_Vanessa lifted her phone. "Becca, can you please get us the earliest date for a family court hearing. My niece's wife is trying to go away with their kid. I don't want to lose the Lance Heir. You will be representing us."_

_\----------------_

_"I am sorry but my client will not be coming in today. She is too ill and traumatised to attend the hearing. You have to understand that this much pressure can have a toll on a pregnant woman. Her wife, someone she trusted with her heart and soul, broke her vows and slept with a man. Then lied to her and kept it a secret until she could not take it." Sara clenched her hands as she heard Ray Palmer, Ava's lawyer and best friend make very true statements._

_She knew how much Ava was hurt but could she be so callous to Sara's pain of losing her sister. The only person left in her life apart from Ava. _

_She watched as her lawyer stated that she was so lost in her loss of her sister that she had a momentary lapse of judgement. She watched as Ray threw her a glare before going in for his next statement._

_After what felt like hours, Sara had lost all her privileges to her child. Her sister's final gift to her._

_\----------------_

_Nora had snuck into the hospital after she had heard about Ava having given birth. She had been the one who told the anxious Sara about the fact that Ava had twins. Sara could not help it, she had to visit her kids._

_She had just walked into the NICU after flirting with a nurse and getting a visitor's pass and was looking down at her babies when a tired Ava walked in with Ray._

_"What are you doing here? You lost the rights to be their mother." Ray hissed. Ava glared weakly._

_Sara stepped towards them. "Aves, please. I am their mo....." Ava lifted her hand._

_Ava's eyes were glittering even in the darkness of the room. "They have only one mother. You ensured that. Now get out!" She whispered sharply. _

_Ray glared. "I am sorry Sara but your family let us know that they want nothing with the children. So I suggest you leave before we call the authorities."_

_"Please Ava just once. I promise I will never come into their lives again." She begged. But Ava had just silently looked away._

_Sara had quickly left the room with a final glance towards her little girls. Ava had said something but she was in no mood to listen._

_\----------------_

_Sara was sitting in the army registration office when she first met Armaan Malik. They were in the same cohort. She had been staring out of a window listlessly when Armaan had introduced himself._

_"Hey!" Sara had looked up to see a man with a goofy grin. Sara just gave him a withering look._

_"I am Armaan. What's your name?" Armaan had persisted._

_Sara had finally mumbled out her name. Following which Armaan had continued the conversation with little input from her. _

_It was after two deployments that they had met Nyssa for the first time. Nyssa had been a new recruit and Armaan had been smitten. Sara just tagged along when the two went out for dates. Nyssa was the one that noticed the scars that were on Sara's arms one night when they had been taking the drunk girl back home._

_"Sara! Can I ask you something?" Nyssa had asked to which Sara had just grunted._

_"What are the scars on your hands?" Sara had immediately pulled at the sleeves of her hoodie but Nyssa had pushed it away and pulled her hands close. She and Armaan had immediately set up Sara's sessions with a therapist after talking to Vanessa Lance._

_The first session had been an absolute disaster with the therapist and Sara just sitting in silence. They had a breakthrough only in the 5th Session._

_"Sara, would you like to tell me how you are doing today?" Ella asked gently._

_Sara had silently sat for a few minutes before finally a tear roll down her cheeks. She had whispered that she missed her._

_"Who?"_

_Sara clenched her hands. "Laur. Today is her birthday and the day I lost her." _

_The following sessions Sara started opening up and spilling her story. From how she met Ava to how she cheated on her with Oliver to how Ava's family killed Laurel to their divorce and the loss of custody of her kids. _

_ \------_

_Together, Armaan, Nyssa and Ella had managed to pull Sara out of the dump that she had buried herself in. She occasionally laughed like her heart wasn't burdened with pain. She dated other people. _

_Nyssa had shared that she was pregnant. Sara was super excited about being the child's godmother. Nyssa and Armaan had asked her to pick out the middle name and she had chosen Aria. Her heart ached when she shared the name for she wanted to call her child the same. They had decided to call her Chahat Aria Malik._

_But then 5 months back everything changed at the border when Armaan had stepped on a motion-trigger bomb. She knew she had nothing to live for and offered to switch places but before they could, the enemy had seen them and started showering bullets at their team. Armaan was shot multiple times. He knew that his time had come. _

_"Sara, go." Sara had blinked back her tears and called one of their comrades to help them switch out Armaan for her. "No Sara. My time has come. Even if we exchange places, I may not make it then Nyssa and Chahat will be all alone. You know her family did not approve. Please take care of them for me." He had then pushed her towards the comrade and told them to run before he could no longer stand. _

_Sara had fought against the man the whole way until the final blast. She went silent after it and their platoon had been called back. As she got off the plane, Nyssa had rushed to her and given her a hug._

_"Sara...." She whispered, tears spilling out of her cheeks. Sara just held her silently. Nyssa was aching for she had lost her love but she knew that Sara was going through so much more. But much to Nyssa surprise after a week, Sara was no longer silent. She was busy taking care of her and the baby. _

_"Sara, Nyssa tells me that you have not spoken about losing Armaan." Ella said during their session._

_Sara blinked then nodded. "Yes, I haven't. Ella, I have lost too much now. A sister, a brother and my kids. I have to fight for Nyssa and my goddaughter now. I cannot mope around. Armaan wouldn't want that. Nyssa can talk to you during her sessions but I am unable to give her the support I need to if I keep talking about Armaan. Nyssa is my responsibility."_

_Sara continued going for their sessions and spoke about Armaan during these sessions with Ella but never with Nyssa until they moved to Star City following their acquisition of the Lance Restaurant. _

_\--------------------_

_Unknown to Sara, Nyssa had heard her talk to Ella and she knew that Sara would never fall head over heels in love with her. She did not want that and thus began her research into Sara's past. She had reached out to her friends to hack into all the systems with Sara's records. _

_With the information, she had tracked down Ava but could not find any other information. She had been the one that had forced Rip to sign a contract inclusive of keeping Ava in the company. Sara did not even know until the final signing and even then, Nyssa had rushed through it. _

_Nyssa had watched Ava still at the door on seeing Sara. She had almost cried tears of happiness. She tried to find out more about Ava's life after Sara had gone but all she got was barriars and defences that she could not penetrate with even the best hackers in the world. One of her contacts had provided her with a new contact, the Black Canary. _

_\--------------------_

Ava watched Nyssa sitting quietly on the car after their chat and decided to give her some space. Her phone had started buzzing.

It read._ 'Big Sis'._

"Hey!" She perked her voice.

"Ava, we have a problem. Someone is trying to dig into your past. They contacted The Black Canary." Ava paled. Was her family trying to hurt them again?

"Any idea who?" She whispered.

Ariel huffed. "You think I wouldn't tell you if I knew who. Laurel is trying to compile all the fake information that we had created over time. I think you need to wear a wedding band again. You know the one Mike gave you. He is coming tonight to apologise and be back together with you."

Ava rolled her eyes. She hated the band but it was necessary to keep her children and family safe. She liked Mike. Being her childhood friend and partner in crime until she left for culinary school, everyone had thought that they would marry each other. It was another story that he was the first person she came out to and her current ex-husband according to the documents. 

Ava glanced to see if anyone was around before whispering. "How is Laur?"

She heard her sister sigh. "She is the same. She has difficulty talking but still manages to be the greatest hacker of all time." 

Ava nodded immediately getting pulled back to the past.

\----------------------

_Ava had rushed home from her work trip to support Sara when she learned about Laurel's death. She had been delayed by about a week due to the bad weather and lack of flights. _ _However, her heart had clenched when the door just opened without any resistance. She felt sick to her stomach when she heard gasps and noises from the guest bedroom. _

_She slowly walked to the room to see a blonde and Oliver on the bed briefly before she turned away and partially closed the door before blushing and yelling in._

_"Oh Shit! I am sorry Felicity, I did not know you were here. Hi Ollie. Can you let Sara know when she comes that I have gone to my old apartment?"_

_She blushed bright and ran out of the house to set up her old apartment for a cosy dinner with Sara. She knew her girl would be broken but she had news. Her sister had left them a final gift before she left them._

_\------_

_"Ava!" Ava had heard Sara call her from the living room just minutes after she entered. Ava walked into the hall to see a dishevelled Sara at the entrance._

_Ava rushed to her side and scooped her into a hug. "I am so sorry babe. I am here now." _

_Sara had gently stepped out of her grasp and given her a pained smile. "I will change then we can talk."_

_Ava nodded. She knew her wife was hurting badly. She had, after all, lost her big sister. _

_Ava set down their dinner when she heard her phone ringing. The caller id showed her cousin's name. She blushed remembering the scene from earlier during the day. _

_"Hey Aves! Do you need anything from New York?" Felicity asked._

_Ava's heart stilled. "When did you go to New York?"_

_Felicity laughed. "I have been here for the past one week." Ava's heart clenched. Oliver was cheating on her cousin with the blonde woman._

_"Oh okay!" She squeaked. She spoke a few short minutes before she saw Sara come down the stairs and sit at the table._

_Ava rushed to her bag to pull out a file when she heard a sob. She paused and glanced back at Sara._

_"Sar, you okay?" She mentally smacked her head. Sara was not okay. She had just lost her best friend. She sat on the floor and looked up at her._

_Sara shook her head and started crying harder. "Ava, I am sorry." She mumbled._

_Ava shook her head. "Why what happened? Babe, it is not your fault." _

_Sara shook her head. "Ava, I was with Oliver today afternoon."_

_Ava gave her a small smile. "So.....that's okay. I made my arrangements from the airport to our house but then Ollie and ............." _

_She stopped talking on realising what Sara had actually meant. The gentle smile that she had slipped away and she clenched her hands trying to keep them from trembling._

_"Oh!" She whispered._

_Sara tried to touch her when she flinched and moved away. "Oh! You were the one."_

_She got up from the floor and took two steps back. _

_"Ava, I am....I didn't...." Sara tried to convey her guilt when Ava lifted her hand. _

_Ava pulled herself into herself and put the file in her hand on the table._

_"Please leave." She whispered as tears rolled down her cheek._

_Sara walked to her and tried to hold her hand. "Ava, I am so sorry. It won't happen again.........I was so upset and I...."_

_ Ava grimaced. "I cannot make your hollow promise the base of my and my child's future."_

_Sara paused and looked up at Ava and her hands trembled slightly._

_"Really?" She whispered._

_Ava kept silent before guiding her to the door. She gently pushed her out and closed it._

_Sara knocked on the door again and again. "Ava! Please open the door. I am sorry. For our child."_

_Sara paused as the door opened and Ava stood there with bloodshot eyes. "I am sorry Sara. But I cannot forgive you. Please leave before my mother comes."_

_Ava closed the door and walked further into the house when her phone rang._

_"Aves! It's April. I need to talk to you now. A car will pick you in a few minutes._

_Ava's eyes widened, something was wrong. She grabbed her coat and rushed out of the house and into the car that had stopped outside her house and watched as it took off despite Sara screaming after it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not too sure about how courts work so you will have to read it based on my story.
> 
> I know that there may be some confusion regarding what is happening but that is because there are some additional players that we are not exactly seeing. For example, the divorce papers weren't directly from Ava.
> 
> Also I am sorry for disappearing for such a long time. I will try to update with the rest of the past by next week.


	9. I cannot Forgive you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more of the past.

Ava was walking back home thinking about the past when she slammed into the person that had completely changed her life. Oliver Queen, the man her cousin married and the man who her wife cheated with.

"Oh Ava." Olliver looked like a dear caught in front of a vehicle. "Felicity told me that she had met you the other day."

He kept quiet, waiting for her reaction. It had been 8 years since they had seen each other. The last time had been at her fake marriage a week after their official divorce and Sara's loss of the child custody.

\------------------

_"Ava, I really don't understand why you have to go to the memorial. Her sister hurt you. For god's sake, she cheated on you." Her mother yelled as Ava silently got ready for the service._

_"Sara did. Laural is still my sister. She only supported me and helped me with the university when you had disowned me for dating Sara. Ariel is picking me up in 5." Ava finally said after she had enough of her mother's cruel words._

_"Well, looks like your mother knew best. Didn't she? I told you the Lance girl was trouble but did you listen?" Jenna yelled. "I told you. But you did not listen. Ariel tried to make you understand but what did you tell us that Sara Lance loved you. Does someone who loves you play with your feelings like that? I am no saint, Ava. But even I did not cheat on your father despite his indiscretions because I loved him. I respected the relationship we were in, even if he did not." Jenna Sharpe lashed on._

_Ava felt tears roll down her cheeks but she could not say anything because what Jenna said was true._

_"Your father cheated on me with your mother. But when she died, I adopted you into my family because you were a part of him and I loved him. Sara proclaimed of love for you but even then she did not hesitate to sleep with that Queen. Laural was the more decent of the two sisters. But how many times do I have to tell you that the Lances are cheats? It is in their blood. Take Vanessa Lance for example. She......."_

_"Enough mother!" Ariel snapped from the door. "Sara cheated on Ava. You do not have to rub salt."_

_Ariel walked to Ava and gave her a side hug._

_"You ready?" She whispered. To which Ava nodded and wiped her tears. "Then let's go."_

\------

_"Aves!" A soft voice called her when she entered the hall with her sister. Ariel's grip tightened on her arm._

_"What do you want Sara?" Ariel asked tightly. Ava standing slightly behind her with her hand over her flat stomach like as though protecting her child. Ava watched from behind her sister looked at her cheating wife. Sara looked like her entire world was coming apart. Her hair was a mess and her eyes looked bloodshot._

_"Ari, I need to talk to Ava."_

_"It's Ariel, Ms Lance. You have caused her enough pain." Sara shrunk back under Ariel's harsh glare._

_"Ari, you go inside. I will handle this." Ava whispered._

_Ariel looked Ava before giving a short nod and walking further into the room._

_"Can we go into a room? I do not wish to air my dirty laundry to everyone here." Ava said calmly. Sara nodded and opened a side door._

\-------

_Ava stood silently as she watched Sara try to gather her thoughts._

_"Ava! I am sorry. It just happened. Ollie came over and we were talking and I was broken and then it happened. You weren't there. I was alone."_

_Ava glared. "Oh so this is my fault?"_

_Sara paused. "No! I didn't mean that. But can you please forgive me? For our child? I promise you this will never happen again._

_Ava shook her head. "Sara, I don't think I can ever forgive you. You cheated on me and that is unforgivable. I told you that I can never forgive my dad for what he did to my mom and Jenna. You did the same thing. You broke two people's hearts. Do you really think I am going to keep this a secret from my cousin? She is going to break but she will be stronger."_

_Sara looked down at the floor. "Felicity knows. Oliver told her. They are trying to work things out. Can we try at least?" she pleaded._

_Ava shook her head. "I am sorry Sara but not in this lifetime. My child will live not knowing you and that would be what is best for her."_

_"Ava please. I am begging you." Sara held her hand as Ava walked towards the door._

_Ava shook her hand off. "Sara! Leave me. You cheated on me and all I see now is a cheat. For god's sake, we are married and you never thought twice before insulting me like this. I am indifferent to you and in these circumstances, I cannot be with you."_

_Ava quickly walked out of the room as Sara fell to the floor._

\----------

_Ava sat silently in the car as Ariel drove them to her secret spot._

_"You okay?" Ariel asked. She knew that the talk with Sara and Laural's service had taken a toll on her._

_Ava shook her head. "I can never not have feelings for her but at the same time, I cannot forgive her but till when do we have to keep her a secret?"_

_Ariel grimaced. "Ava, you know that I was just as shocked when I found her. I had to drag her out of the burning rubble in the middle of the night. Someone is trying to hurt our family. Mike called me, he said that some of his underground friends had told him that there was someone trying to frame the Sharpe for Laural's death. We have to be careful. She is in a vegetative state. We don't know what will happen next. What is the point of calling Sara and having her hopes up?"_

_Ava nodded as she watched her sister-in-law from behind the glass._

\----------

_"I hate you, Ava Sharpe. Your family took away everything that was mine. My kids, my sister......you are a real hypocrite Ava Sharpe. It hasn't been months and you have your hand draped around another man." Sara screamed drunkenly in the middle of the grounds of the court while Oliver and Felicity were trying to pull her away._

_Ava was supporting a small bump and her hand was holding onto Mike. He had clenched her hands in support. Ava's hand was trembling in his grip. She had just had a court marriage to prove to whoever that had targeted her family that she had moved on from Sara. She looked up at Mike and gave him an apologetic smile._

_She watched with a grimace as Oliver and Felicity dragged her into the car as she spewed curses at Ava and Mike_

\----------

Ava nodded at Oliver. "Hello Oliver."

Oliver just gave her a quick smile and rushed off while Ava was left with her thoughts.

\-----------------------------

Sara felt tears roll down her cheek as she gripped the old letters and emails from the private investigators that the Sharpe Family had killed her sister. She hadn't been convinced by her sister's death was an accident. She now wished she hadn't bothered to find out as she was now left with both love and hate for Ava Sharpe.

She had been sitting at home after losing the custody battle for her unborn children when the private investigator had called with information that shattered her life.

_"Hello Ms Lance. I have information regarding your sister's death. I have dropped you an email with all the details."_

She had called her aunt as she did not want to open the email on her own to find out who had killed her sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will tell you the villain's tale. This will go chronologically and give you a clear idea of how things started and how everything went down.


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